How we met
by muchlovefromapotterhead
Summary: James loves Lily. Lily loves James. It's the classic story. It's the beginning of a beautiful friendship. It's the beginning of a relationship that will change the fate of the wizarding world. It's true, inexhaustible love. With a few funny bits thrown in, because you can't have love without awkward moments, meddling friends and hot flushes.
1. Chapter 1

1st September 1977

'Shit!'

Lily Evans sat bolt upright in bed, throwing off her covers, as she realised the time.

9.30. In the morning. Of September the first. The first day of her last year at school.

She had approximately a half hour to get ready, and then drive an hour to King's Cross. She was running late. Again. Head Girls were not allowed to be late. Or rather, they were, but it was frowned upon. Like masturbating on an aeroplane.

Lily Evans was in a constant state of lateness. No matter how organised she was with the rest of her life, she was always late. Blame it on her inability to get out of bed in the morning if you will, but it was just something that she could not help. Kind of like how one has a nervous twitch, or insists on turning the light switch on and off three times before leaving a room, it just didn't feel _right_ getting out of bed until she absolutely, positively had too. But a few minutes of extra precious sleep bore consequences. She had no idea how she had managed to make Head Girl.

Dragging her hand through her hair, and rubbing her eyes somehow simultaneously, she swung her legs over the side of her tangled bed. She always slept badly before returning to Hogwarts. Nerves, she guessed; that she would wake up and none of this would be real. But, inexplicably, it was. Hogwarts was her home. She felt guilty admitting that, but especially since her mother had passed away two years ago, she felt out of place in the muggle world.

Striding over to the window, she pushed open her curtains, which were decorated with cats, and opened the window. For September, it was still surprisingly hot and humid, and the air seemed to press against her face like a hot flannel.

She would miss this, in a way, despite the awkwardness of her existence in a world that knew nothing of her true self. Her own bedroom, with it's yellow walls and matching dark blue curtains and duvet cover patterned with cats. The dent in the wall from when she made her wardrobe door fly off and hit it. The hard wooden floors, her own record player, and mountain of books in the corner. The band posters covering the walls.

But Hogwarts was Hogwarts. She could be who she was there. Besides, she reasoned, she had managed to fit most of her records into her trunk, as well as two band posters and her stuffed cat toy, originally named 'Cat'.

Her real cat, Mogs, was watching her with one eye, and glaring at the waiting cage with the other, was stretched on her armchair.

'LILY! GET UP! DAD'S LEAVING WITH OR WITHOUT YOU IN FIFTEEN MINUTES!'

Petunia's shrill voice echoed up the stairs, prompting Lily to panic and attempt to take all her clothes off , dress and brush her hair at once. It was an old threat, but with Lily, it had always worked.

In next ten minutes she managed to shower briefly, clean her teeth, tame her long red curls and dress in her favourite old jeans that were faded and ripped slightly at the knee, her worn and scuffed black Doc Martins and her new Rolling Stones band t-shirt. Waving a mascara wand frantically, she flicked her wand in the direction of her trunk, causing all remaining objects from around the room to fly into it's open mouth. It then shut magically, with a click. She then turned to Mogs.

She placed her hands on her hips and faced him with her most intimidating stare; the one usually reserved for James Potter.

'Mogs. Cage. Now.'

The cat continued to stare lazily up at Lily, almost sarcastically.

'Mogs!'

Mog's blinked.

Really, the Marauders were more obedient than this.

Crossing the room in one leap, she gathered the cat up in her arms, and unceremoniously shoved him into his cage, ignoring his mews of protest. Locking the cage with her wand, she marched down the stairs, levitating the cage and her trunk behind her, and let them rest outside front door, on the unravelling doormat that read: 'Welcome!' in faint green lettering.

The Evans lived in a pleasant part of the rather dodgy Spinner's End. Their house was small, neat and semi-detached, with a handkerchief garden in front, and a main road out the back. Inside was dark green carpets with floral wallpaper, with ornaments such as 'end tables' and 'side lamps', and the walls were littered with school photos and family snapshots. It had a hallway that led to a kitchen on the right and a living room on the left, with a bathroom and laundry at the back. Upstairs was Lily's room, Petunia's room and Mr Evans' rooms. While the house was kept reasonably tidy, since the death of Mrs Evans' two years ago, there was an air neglect lingering, that no amount of general housework could erase.

Lily stepped into the sunny kitchen with it's linoleum floor, wooden fittings and scrubbed table. It's peach walls were filled with drawings that Lily and Petunia had made in their younger years, and an assembly line of wobbly clay pots were aligned on the window sill. Mr Evans, or Wesley, as he preferred to be called, was standing over the stove, brow furrowed.

'Lily, dear,' he began, sensing her behind him, 'I'm not quite sure what's going on. The bacon is not seeming to … fry.' He squinted to read from a list of scrawled, handwritten instructions from Mrs Hunter.

Mrs Hunter was the cleaner who was also left with the responsibility of holding Wesley's life together, since Lily was off at Hogwarts and Petunia had a 'boyfriend'. If you could call him that. Vernon Dursley was much better described as a talking walrus with very little neck and a large moustache. Normally Lily was all in favour of moustaches. She quite liked them in fact. But Vernon not only had a moustache, but _sideburns_ as well. Never trust a man with sideburns.

Lily sighed.

'Dad.' She started, edging around him to light the gas, 'You have to turn to rings on to cook things, you know.'

His frown disappeared.

' Ah, of course.' He murmured. 'Makes sense, makes sense . . . Are you ready to go, Lily dear?' He bumped into the sugar bowl, spilling it's grainy contents across the cream tiled floor. Lily waved her wand, causing the mess to rise into the bin swiftly.

'Yep, bags are by the door. Is Petunia coming?' She asked, already knowing the answer.

'Ah, I'm afraid not. Vernon is coming around. Quite a fuss, apparently . . . ' He raised his eyebrows, bemused, and paused to take off his spectacles and clean them on the hem of his green, woollen jumper.

Taking her cue, Petunia flew through the kitchen door, knocking over a chair as she went. Lily had to bite her lip to stifle her giggle, as Petunia hurriedly composed herself, checking her reflection in the shiny finish of the new toaster. Her shoulder length blonde hair was poker straight, except for an artificial flick at the ends. Her pale blue eyes were carefully rimmed in brown eyeliner, and decorated with dark mascara. Sickly pink gloss coated her thin lips, and a gold necklace hung around her equally thin neck. She wore a pink dress cut off above the knee, with white Mary-Jane's. She looked pretty, Lily supposed, but uptight. And had her neck grown since she last saw her? Had she somehow taken Dursley's allotment of neck as well?

'What are you lot still doing here?' Petunia shrieked, voice echoing around the kitchen. 'Vernon will be here any minute! You . . . you have to leave! Now!'

Lily rolled her eyes.

'Why? Still haven't told him I'm a . . .' - here she paused, withdrew her wand and flicked it lazily at chair Petunia had just knocked over - 'witch?' She finished, as the chair rose back into position.

Petunia's lips went very, very white under the coat of pink lipstick.

'Just because you're proud to be a Freak, doesn't mean the rest of us want to be associated with you.'

'Oh yeah, because I'm sure I'd love to be boring like you and _darling_ Vernon. What a thrill!' Lily retorted, temper sparking inside her.

'Don't you dare,' Petunia began, shaking angrily, 'talk about Vernon like that. He's nothing but brilliant, and it's hard enough to find a man who'll take me with someone like_ you_ in the family.'

'So, you've told him then?' Lily smirked, raising her eyebrow.

Two spots of pink appeared high on Petunia's cheekbones. Wesley decided now was the time to intervene.

'Now, girls . . . don't quarrel. Lily'll be gone soon. And Petunia, do try to be happy for your sister, and same for you, Lily . . .' He murmured calmingly, trying to scale down the escalating fight. It was not uncommon for a physical brawl to erupt from provocations such as these.

Petunia paused to glare at Lily for a moment, and just opened her mouth to speak, when the doorbell rang.

'Oh God, he's here. Quick, Lily, hide. Under the fridge or something, I don't care, just . . . '

An impatient knock resounded on the door.

'Coming!' Petunia trilled shrilly, exiting the kitchen hastily.

Lily glanced at her father, trying to smother her smile. Petunia really was acting ridiculous. Honestly, it was almost as if she was going to turn him into a toad or something. However, if a scene could be avoided, it was definitely preferable. She looked at her watch. Shit. Hastily, she grabbed a slice of toast as it popped out of the toaster, and sidled towards the back door.

'I'll meet you by the car, dad.' She mumbled, her mouth half full of crumbs.

'Alright, love. Wont be long.'

She walked down the thin path that bordered her home, turning the small corner into their short driveway as she saw Dursley enter the house. Good. Mission avoid-the-walrus, complete.

Common sense told her to lift the trunk into the boot of the car by herself, as she could see Petunia watching from the kitchen window, and she was not sure her sister's heart could cope with such an 'extravagant' display of magic. Especially with Vernon being in the vicinity - it would make her extra nervous. However, she couldn't resist twirling her wand, baton-like, around her fingers, smiling cheerfully up at the kitchen window. She could just make out Petunia's scowl.

Mogs' cage balanced on her lap, she sat in the front seat and waited for her father.

*AT KINGS CROSS*

'Goodbye, sweetheart, have a good term. Don't forget to write.' Her father hugged her affectionately, and gave her a peck on the cheek, as he helped her load her trunk and cage onto a trolley out the front of King's Cross. 'I'm so proud of you for making Head Girl.'

'Thanks, dad.' She grinned up at him. 'See you soon!'

It was ten to eleven, and she would miss the train if she didn't hurry. She didn't have time for sloppy goodbyes and tearful hugs. That wasn't really her dad's style anyway. Her mum had always been the one to cry sending Lily off. She kissed his cheek, then turned and walked briskly towards the entrance, and the brick pillar between platforms nine and ten.

'Love you!' She called over her shoulder, looking back. Her heart gave a pang as she saw her father's stooping figure next to the car. She shouldn't leave him, she knew, but he was so proud to have a witch in the family. Her mother had been slightly doubtful at first, but after seeing her daughter's glowing face at the end of the first term, her trust in the school had been steadfast. On her deathbed, she had made Lily promise to continue at Hogwarts, and to live in the wizarding world, where she belonged. Lily had never quite fitted in amongst muggles, and she was glad keep her word. So she turned, and continued towards her destination, breaking into a run as the big hand on her watch slowly clicked towards the twelve.

Muggles were rushing around her like a constant ebb of sea. She would have been one of them, she thought, if it hadn't been for Hogwarts. If it hadn't been for Severus, even.

When he had told her what she was, that day at the park, she had believed him with childish faith. She had wanted to believe him. Then, two weeks before her eleventh birthday, her letter arrived.

She reached the third and final brick pillar between platforms nine and ten. Five minutes, shit. She leant against the wall casually, pushed gently, and felt herself tumble through the barrier, into her world.

Her next breath filled her lungs with smoke. She could practically taste the pumpkin juice on her tongue before she even opened her eyes. Her heart was practically singing, blood pumped excitedly through her veins: this was it, she was going back to Hogwarts, where she belonged, where no one called her a freak, where -

WHAM.

Something - or someone - collided with Lily as she appeared on the other side of the barrier.

'Shit!' She connected with the cold concrete floor of the platform, flat on her arse.

Mogs' cage fell with a clatter to the floor, and he let out an indignant 'meow'. She felt her trunk fall next to her. She winced, as she could practically hear her carefully organised books toppling over.

She felt anger rise in her. This was the last thing she needed, today of ALL days. First being late, then Petunia, now this.

Breathe, she reminded herself. She closed her eyes and counted to ten. Slowly.

When she opened them, she saw James Potter standing insolently in front of her, an apologetic grin on his face.

'Sorry about that.' He said. His voice had lowered at least an octave over the summer. He was taller, at least six foot two, and his shoulders had broadened atop his lean, athletic figure. His hair was perfectly mussed, his handsome features worried behind his round glasses.

Damn you, James Potter. Why did he just have to be so goddamn attractive, even when she was so angry she could have screamed louder than a howler.

He reached down a hand to help her up.

She glared at him.

'What. The. Fuck. Potter.' She practically spat at him.

He retracted his hand, but his eyebrow's shot up in amusement.

'Did Lily Evans just swear?' He asked, a humorous tone creeping into his voice.

She glared at him.

'Look, I'm sorry, I was just trying to stop Sirius before he got to Sylvia from Hufflepuff. She, uh, become particularly well endowed over the summer, you see, and Sirius wanted to … well, you know. So I was trying to stop him and I guess … I guess I just ran into you.' He finished lamely. 'Sorry.'

She pushed herself off the ground, grabbing Mogs' cage as she did so.

'Next time, watch where you're going.' She turned to heave her trunk back onto the trolley, but found James already doing it. 'I could have done that.' She said, half weakly, half angrily.

James blinked, surprised.

'I know, I just . . . '

'I don't need your help, Potter.' Shoving Mogs' cage on top of her trunk - he let out another annoyed mew - she moved to storm off, but to her disbelief, James caught her arm, stopping her.

'Look, Evans, I just wanted to say I hope we can be civil this year. What with us being Head Boy and Girl and all, I just - '

'What did you just say?' Lily stopped him. She felt the world moving under her feet … _Surely _not.

James went pale.

'Oh, Merlin, I thought someone would have told you … Remus told me, the other day … I'm … Evans, I'm Head Boy this year.' He ran his hand through his hair anxiously, chewing on his bottom lip. He looked down, and craned his head up, almost shyly, with a small, apologetic smile. He was waiting for her reaction.

'Are you _joking_?' She asked. She felt dizzy. Surely this was a joke. James Potter couldn't ACTUALLY be Head Boy. Head Boy's … they were supposed to be responsible, follow the rules, _help_ people, not HEX them.

' 'Fraid not.' He gave another crooked smile.

Lily, for once was speechless.

'Fuck.'

*HOGWART'S EXPRESS*

'Fucking wankering bollocking arsehole!' Lily burst into the compartment that her three friends had stationed themselves in.

'Excuse me?' Lou Jones looked up in surprise. It wasn't that she was a prude - oh, no one could ever accuse Lou of being that - but hearing _Lily Evans_ utter such dark profanities was an occasion unto itself.

Lou Jones was a five foot six, busty, brunette fireball of energy. She was a beater on the Gryffindor quidditch team, a whiz at Arithmancy and Astronomy, and had almost as many notches on her belt as Sirius Black himself. It could have been those large, dark brown doe eyes, glittering up cheekily from under a thick, feathery fringe. Or maybe the red, plump lips, or her razor blade cheekbones or deep, year-long tan.

Or maybe it was just the fact that her smile, full of slightly pointed white teeth, was completely irresistible. She was smart, sexy, sarcastic, honest, cynical, and kind of a bitch. But in a nice way.

She had met Lily on the first night, when the six new Gryffindor girls had traipsed up, exhausted, towards their dormitory. After a brief wrestle with her best friend, Marlene Black (a VERY distant relative of Sirius - her father had married a muggleborn, causing his name to be obliterated off the family tree.), for the best bed, she had turned Lily, and asked her if it was true 'that the carpet matches the drapes.' Lily, not having heard of this before, then had her very first 'bird's and the bee's' talk, by her new overly sexual friend. By the end of first year, Lou had not only managed to have a total of five boys running after her, but had also managed to assist Lily through her tumultuous dealings with James Potter.

Which is how, she could tell, currently, what the problem was.

As could Marlene, who was slouched next to her reading a 'Quidditch Weekly' magazine.

'Boy problems?' Marlene said, sitting up suddenly, twinkle in her eye.

'Potter problems.' Agreed Lou, closing her book, happy to be distracted.

As similar in personality and mind as they were, they could not have looked more different. Marlene was tall and thin: flat-chested where Lou had ample breasts, straight up and down where Lou's hour glass figure was reminiscent of a pin-up girl from the 1950's - all tiny waist and shapely legs.

Marlene was blonde and tomboyish: pretty, rather than Lou's sexy. She had blonde, shoulder length waves that she caught up in a permanent, tufty ponytail. Her heart-shaped face was dominated by big hazel eyes, and her little, slightly tip-tilted nose was covered in freckles against her olive skin. Her pink cupid's bow lips were mischievous, but innocent compared to Lou's seductive pout. She was especially gifted at Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures, as well as being Lou's fellow beater on the Gryffindor quidditch team. She helped the groundskeeper, Hagrid, with the wounded animals from the forbidden forest, and was often seen in the pumpkin patch behind his house, covered in mud, reading up on how to manage some obscure breed of Bowtruckles; or volunteering to assist the tentative first and second years with the more difficult plants.

Marlene was the kind of girl who wasn't really comfortable unless she had rolled in mud at some point in the day.

Alice Prewitt, the slightly more sensible out of Lily's trio of friends, tore her eyes away from the platform, where she had been searching for her last glance of her boyfriend of a year, Frank Longbottom, who had come to wave her off.

'What's he done now?' She said, rolling her eyes. The Potter's were a close family friend of Alice and her parents (distance cousins or something, Lily could never remember), and Alice found Lily's toils with him amusing rather than irritating.

Alice was the most sensible of the group - although that wasn't saying much. She had a wicked sense of humour and a passion for practical jokes, but always knew when to draw the line. She was also possibly the kindest - she never failed to help a struggling first year find their way to class, and tutored the younger students in the library on Transfiguration (her best subject). She wore her toffee-brown hair mid length down her back, and her kind blue eyes were big in her round face. Her wide, pretty smile invited confidence from almost everyone. She was smart as well - four outstanding's in her OWLS, and it was rumoured she was already completing NEWT Transfiguration practice papers with an average of outstanding.

Lily glowered at Alice for a second, then promptly collapsed into a seat.

'It's more like what he hasn't done, the stupid, clumsy PRAT.'

Lou stifled a giggle with her hand.

'It's not funny!' Lily sprang up and began to pace around the carriage. 'He's bloody Head Boy!'

There was deathly silence for a second, before the Lou and Marly erupted into laughter.

Alice just looked guilty.

Lily narrowed her eyes. 'You knew, didn't you?' She glared at her. Traitor.

'Maybe . . .' Alice began to edge towards to compartment door.

'WHY DIDN'T YOU BLOODY TELL ME?' She wasn't exactly sure when she had begun to shout.

'Uh oh,' said Marly, laughing, 'here comes the famous Evan's temper.'

'THIS. IS. NOT. FUNNY.' She fumed. 'I HAVE TO WORK WITH THIS . . . THIS PRICK! FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR. COOPERATE EVEN. I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF HE CAN SPELL THAT.'

'Don't be silly, Lily.' Said Alice, primly. 'He only struggles with spelling parallel - and everyone struggles with spelling that.'

Lily let out a frustrated scream.

'I'm going to the Prefect's compartment. Alice, if you're coming, don't talk to me.' And with that, she left the compartment, slamming the doors behind her.

Alice stood up.

'I'd better go. Does anyone know a healing charm?'

*PREFECTS COMPARTMENT*

_James_

'And that's just about everything.' Lily concluded, addressing the enlarged compartment full of prefects. 'Anything else you'd like to add, Potter?' She spat out his name, like it was a particularly sour piece of a sweet.

She still manages to look beautiful even when she's angry, thought James. She was the perfect height as well; tall, but not taller than him. She came up to his lips, he thought. He could just lean over, and press his lips against that smooth, creamy forehead and . . . how the hell did he just manage to sexualise her forehead?

'Potter?' She glared at him, expectantly.

'Oh, uh, right. No, I think you covered it, Evans.' He rubbed the back of his neck, and shoved his hand in his pocket. 'You lot can go.'

A steady stampede left the compartment. Alice paused at the door.

'I'll see you in the compartment, Lils.' She grinned cheekily, and disappeared.

'Wait, WHAT? Can't you wait for me, I'm only going to be a minute . . .' She trickled off uselessly, as she realised Alice was long gone.

James loved the way when she was angry, her eyes seemed to glitter, and two pink spots would appear on her cheeks, balanced precariously on her high cheekbones.

There was an awkward silence echoing around the compartment.

'Evans . . .'

He looked at her. She looked at him.

'I'm going to be a good Head Boy.' He said, quietly.

*STILL THE PREFECT'S COMPARTMENT*

_Lily_

She felt a flush of guilt, as he said that. Who was she to question Dumbledore's decision? Anyway, she'd just have to deal with it.

'We'll see, Potter.' She stuck out her hand, stiffly, awkwardly, but it was still there. An offer of civility.

He looked at it curiously.

'You're supposed to shake it.' She said, suppressing a smile.

'Oh, yeah. Right.' He grinned, and shook her hand, pressing his large palm against her small one.

Butterflies erupted in Lily's stomach.

_Goddamn it_. She'd really have to invest in some insect spray.

*YEAH, STILL THE PREFECTS COMPARTMENT*

_James_

He watched as she left the compartment.

He'd been in love with her since first year. Of course, she was beautiful. But everyone could see that.

She wasn't obviously sexy, like Lou or Elena Jordan from Ravenclaw. But she was beautiful . . . she seemed to have bypassed pretty with a fleeting glance and a skeptical look.

Her skin; perfect, creamy, in her oval face. Full pink lips, small straight nose decorated with a smattering of freckles. When she laughed, you could see all of her small, pearly white teeth. And her eyes; large, green, cat-like. Framed with long, thick dark lashes that scraped her high cheekbones.

Even her imperfections were perfect, and James had studied her enough to know them all. The slight gap between her main two bottom teeth, the point of her chin that was almost _too _ pointy (but not quite). The scar that ran from the corner of her lip, a thin, silvery white line. James wanted to kiss it.

And her body . . . how many nights had James had dreams about that body? It was perfect. Tall, slim. Tight bum, pert breasts, tiny waist and long legs.

But that wasn't why he loved her.

She was kind. Too kind sometimes. She tutored second years in Charms and fifth years getting ready for their OWLS in potions. She would stay up until all hours, listening to her friends problems, or comforting a homesick first year. She helped everybody. Even Slytherins.

She was smart as well. Four outstanding's in her OWLS: in Charms, Potions, History of Magic and Ancient Runes. She had passed everything else with 'exceed's expectations', except for Divination, which she had failed, dismally. She could always tell when someone was lying, and she had an answer for everything. She could argue with a brick wall. She was stubborn, passionate, immovable. Yet, curiously, she could admit when she was wrong. Which, James hated to admit, was not often.

He loved her temper, the way she didn't think before she spoke, her obtuse way of confronting someone (usually involving a wand and a trip to the hospital wing). She was brave - obviously, being a Gryffindor - but James had never met another girl who would jump into the lake, fully clothed, in the middle of winter, on a dare.

Fierce, fiery, passionate.

She was easily distracted - she'd often have to remove herself to another room to get anything done. She was studious, perhaps too much so. Ambitious, but not prepared to sacrifice her morals.

Perfect, James thought. She's bloody perfect.

*THE GREAT HALL*

_Lily_

The feast was almost over.

Dumbledore had said his last few words; warnings of times and trials. Lily had shuddered - the knowledge of the presence of the death eaters outside (and perhaps inside) the castle was scary. It meant being extra vigilant in her rounds at night time, making sure everyone was safe. She pushed away the thought that she might be in the most danger - a muggle born in a position of power.

And now pudding was coming to a close. Sweaty fingers wiped the edges of bowls; pregnant bellies rested behind unbuttoned robes; last swigs of pumpkin juice were drained from jugs; crumbs were wiped from mouths. A few of the older, more confident students let out large belches, comfortable enough with their surroundings to show true appreciation.

Lily was sandwiched between Lou and Remus; Alice and Marly sat opposite, next to James and Sirius. Peter sat next to Remus. Lily was alright with this arrangement: she was friends with Remus, and used to having to sit with the Marauders. With James being family friends of Alice, and Lou and Marly being on the quidditch team, she had been forced to tolerate his presence increasingly through out her years at Hogwarts. Lou was probably the most understanding; but then again only because she loved hating everyone. The only person Lily suspected Lou actually liked, other than Marly, Alice and herself, was Sirius. And that was only because he was as arrogant and intolerant as she was.

The conversation had (inevitably) turned towards how they had spent their respective summers. James and Sirius' had been spent at the Potter mansion in Kent. Remus has been looking after his sick mother in Nottingham. Peter had been in Spain with his mother. Lou had been in France, joined by Marly for three weeks. The rest of the time Marly spent at home, or with Lily at Spinner's End. Alice had spent her time with Frank, who had graduated last year. James and Sirius were telling everyone about their encounter with a Welsh Dragon on a day trip down to Cardiff, when Dumbledore announced it was time to retire.

Synchronised, without even realising, James and Lily rose at the same time, and proceeded to herd the hordes of first years in the right direction. Scuffling immediately ensued: the third years, buoyed by their status as 'old hats', pushed to get to their familiar dormitories first. One particularly rowdy boy, Gilbert, pushed past the others in a hasty rush. James caught him by the collar and hauled him back.

'Oi!' Gilbert let out an indignant shout.

'Slow down, mate!' James said lazily. 'You'll knock someone over. First years go first, you know that.'

Lily bit back a grin. Maybe he wouldn't be all that bad. Maybe he'd be a good influence on Sirius and Peter.

She wished she could take back her words when five seconds later, Sirius proceeded to summon his broomstick, and, while humming the wedding march, hauled himself and Peter onto it. They soared over the bustling crowd, ensuring the best spots in the common room by the fire.

She tried to reason with herself. They weren't doing anyone any harm, and everyone _expected_ the Marauders to break a few rules anyway. At least they weren't causing a disturbance.

Chaos erupted as Sirius casually dropped a dung bomb in the entrance way.

*COMMON ROOM*

Lily woke late the next morning, as per usual. After hastily getting ready, she rushed to down the dormitory stairs, eager to get to breakfast.

Only to find her way blocked by Potter.

'What?' She practically snarled. She was hungry. Never get between a hungry Lily and her food.

'Easy, Evans.' He smiled, lazily. Jesus, did he ever do anything without acting like the world would wait for him? 'I was just wondering if you knew about the Head's common room?'

'What?' She snapped again.

'The Head's common room.' He repeated. 'Y'know, where you do homework and hang out and stuff . . .'

'I know what a bloody common room is, Potter.'

'Oh yeah, 'course. But anyway, this one is just for the Head's to use.'

'Funnily enough, I got that.' She raised an eyebrow at him.

He flushed, and grinned at her.

'Not had your breakfast, Evans? It's okay, I'll show you where it is later.' He winked, and offered his arm, to escort her down to breakfast.

She looked at him, surprised.

'How did you . . . ?'

'I've been the subject of your temper for the past six years, Evans. And it always seems to be intensified when you haven't been fed in a while. Or in the mornings.' He grinned again, and Lily felt her stomach do a backflip.

'Right.' She felt her cheeks go red. 'Am I really that much of a bitch?'

James started.

'No! I didn't mean it like that - I just meant . . . ' he stuttered.

Lily bit back a smile.

'I was joking, you big thick.'

And walked off, resisting the temptation to wiggle her bum, as she strode, unaccompanied to breakfast.

*BREAKFAST*

'Lily Evans, I honestly thought you were never going to get up.' Lou spoke while shoving a forkful of egg and toast into her lipsticked mouth.

She stuck her tongue out and waggled it. Honestly, the shit she put up with from this lot.

'I threw a shoe at you half an hour ago, Lils. You started swearing at me. Where did you get your potty mouth over the summer, by the way?' Marly commented, stealing a sausage off Lou's plate.

'You try hanging around Vernon Dursley without learning a few choice words to aptly describe him.' Marly nodded sympathetically. She had met Dursley as well, and had sympathy for Lily.

'You mean your sisters bloke?' asked Lou. 'I met him, didn't I?'

Lily grinned.

'Yeah, and didn't you tell him to shove his opinion on rock music up his fat arse?' Alice said, sliding in next to Lily.

'Heard about that, did you?' Lou grinned through her mouthful of toast. 'Should have seen his face.'

'My sister hates you.' Lily told her, spreading butter onto some bread.

'Good. Skinny bitch.' Lou grunted.

Marly burst out laughing.

Lily loved her sister, but having support from her friends made her feel so much better. After a whole summer of Petunia's scathing comments . . . this was good. This was nice.

Until the Marauders plopped themselves down next to them.

'Hullo, persons of the opposite gender.' Said Sirius, seriously. He took a piece of bacon from Alice's plate, and shoved it in his mouth.

'Get your own!' Alice yelped, tearing her plate away.

'I do apologise for my friend, his manners seem to have . . . gone to the dogs.' Lupin said apologetically, but with a twinkle in his eye. At the word 'dog', all four of the Marauder's snickered.

Alice rolled her eyes.

'You lot think your so funny.' Lily said, lips pursed.

'That's because I am.' Pointed out Sirius.

'No, Padfoot. You're the flirt in the group. I'm the funny one.' James intervened, leaning over Lily to get the sugar. She caught a whiff of his scent - musky, manly, fresh. Like new sheets or soap, or something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Cinnamon? Since when do boys smell like cinnamon. That's weird. Musk. It must be musk, or something, she thought. Whatever it was, she felt like she wanted to wrap herself in a sheet of it, and never leave.

Lou laughed, spraying egg on Peter's face. No one noticed.

'That's funny, coming from the boy who made us do twenty laps of the quidditch pitch after a certain girl turned him down, last year. My legs are still sore from that, Potter.' Lou glared at him.

Marly hit her.

'You just made it awkward.'

'It's not awkward until you make it awkward!' Lily said quickly. 'Has anyone got their timetables yet?'

James grinned gratefully at her across the table.

She ignored him.


	2. Chapter 2

The first week back at Hogwarts seemed to go almost as quickly as the firewhisky after a Gryfindor quidditch victory.

In other words: very, _very_ fast.

Classes were attended (and _not_ attended, if your name was Sirius Black), homework was done, meals were eaten, and as usual, there was the bare minimum of sleep.

Lily was already exhausted.

Not only had she spent the past six days avidly taking notes and visiting the library with every second of her spare time, she also was investing a lot of energy into avoiding James Potter.

Because really, it was so much easier to remember what a prick he was when he wasn't making her insides turn into mush.

Which was, basically every time she looked at him.

She put it down to the hormones. There was no denying, James Potter was very, very attractive. Not that she'd ever admit that to _anyone_, not even Alice. Late night discussions on the cutest boys were unfortunately frequent in their dormitory, and it went without question that Sirius Black and James Potter were _always_ at the top of the list, with Remus a few paces behind. Poor Peter, was somewhere down the bottom. He was a nice boy and all, but not exactly the type who would make you want to drop your pants and bend over, as Lou so classily put it.

She knew that Potter was a menace, all hexing and smart quips and masculine bravery - i.e: an aura of false confidence, probably to compensate for a very small dick. However, Lou had informed her, this was not the case. Apparently it was very large.

Lily did not want to know how Lou knew this.

But, Lily couldn't help noticing, despite her sincerest efforts to avoid him, that he was doing a decent job as Head boy. He was, of course, adored by the other students (expect the Slytherins), and the younger ones looked up to him with an air of reverence. Last night she had gone on a walk to visit Hagrid, and had seen James on the quidditch pitch, giving extra flying lessons to two scrawny fourth years.

Go away, strange tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach.

- SUNDAY NIGHT

On Sunday night, she was returning from the library, arms full of books. It was almost curfew, so she was running. Head girls shouldn't be late, although that seemed to be Lily's forte. Outside the moving staircase on the third floor, she ran headlong into Remus Lupin, dropping her books. There was an outbreak of chuckling from the subjects of the paintings near them.

'Shit!' Lily dropped to the ground to pick up her scattered books.

'You've really got the language thing going at the moment, eh Lily?' He raised a dark, sarcastic eyebrow through his toffee coloured hair.

She frowned indignantly up at him.

'My grammar is ever expanding.' She said, crossly.

'Indeed.' He gave her a half smile, and extended a hand to help her up.

Letting a small grin slip across her face, she reluctantly put her hand in his, and was pulled to her feet.

'That's twice this week alone I've been knocked over by one of you lot.' She said, mock angrily.

'Us lot?' Again with the crooked eyebrow.

'You know. The Marauders. Potter crashed into me at the station.' She hugged her books to her chest, and rolled her eyes. 'Want to walk back to the common room with me?'

'Actually, I was looking for you. James wanted me to show you the Head's common room, as you're so reluctant to discover it through him.'

Lily blushed bright red. Had it been that obvious that she'd avoiding him?

'I haven't . . . I mean, I have but, not really . . .' She stammered, not knowing how to deny something that was so obviously true.

Remus smiled sadly.

'He's getting over it.' He half smiled again.

Lily felt her stomach drop. Getting over it? Did that mean getting over her?

Wait, why should she even care? She shouldn't want him to like her. He was just annoying, masochistic and arrogant.

She hated him. Truly, she did. She swore it. Really.

Suddenly, the perfect idea struck her. Amazing actually. Quite genius. How to get over James Potter.

Except 'getting over him' made it sound as if she had, at some point, been 'under him'.

How to forget James Potter then. How to forget his crooked smile, deep hazel eyes and athletic body. How to forget his square jaw and skin tan from Quidditch. How to forget the lopsided glasses that slipped down his classic (slightly, but adorably broken) nose.

Ah, fuck. Not again.

'Lily?' Remus asked, waving his hand in front of her face.

'Wh-what?' She started, zapping back to reality.

'Are you coming to see the your common room?'

'Oh. Yeah, okay.' Remus turned to lead the way.

Pushing their way through the hordes of first years, Remus led the way to a dusty tapestry tucked into a hidden corner of the Gryfindor common room.

'The password's 'Amor Expectat'.' He patted her on the back and turned to leave.

'Wait, where are you going?' Lily asked, quickly.

'I can't go in. It's your common room.'

'Is Potter in there?' She said nervously, attempting to sound casual.

'Don't know.' He looked at her strangely. 'He's not a bad guy, Lily.'

She flushed.

'I know he's not. He's just annoying, that's all.'

'Cut him some slack. He'll prove himself.' He grinned at her again, and walked off.

Confused, Lily sighed, and said the password. Before her eyes, a doorknob emerged on the tapestry and she grasped and turned it.

- HEAD'S COMMON ROOM

She stepped into a small, round room with a blazing fire. Two large desks were fitted against the walls, and shelves filled the spaces in-between. Two comfy, squishy armchairs and a sofa were positioned in front of the fire, and a door led off to a small, shared bathroom.

But what was most amazing was the ceiling. A disillusionment charm had been placed on it, like the one in the Great Hall, and the night sky was in place of the wooden beams. She smiled happily. She lost herself for a few minutes in counting the stars on the ceiling. Astronomy may have been Lou's thing, but Lily still loved it. It reminded of all the nights she had spent in the park with Sev, after sneaking out through the creaky gate in the front garden. She could almost hear it's low squeak, that still gave her a thrill down her spine. It sounded so real, so close -

'Uh, Evans?' James Potter stood in the doorway of the bathroom, clad only in a towel wrapped around his waist.

Shit shit shit shit shit.

Lily let her mouth drop a little bit open. Broad shoulders. A bloody _eight_ pack. Who even has eight packs? Bloody Potter, that's who. His body was perfectly sculpted and toned by Quidditch. Her eyes travelled down his strong, muscular chest, over his strong, muscular arms and down his strong, muscular abdomen, down the 'V' shape that pointed directly to his . . .

OH MY GOD LILY EVANS STOP.

Finally she looked back up and met his eyes. A small grin played on the corner of his mouth. Shit, he'd caught her.

'Potter! What the hell are you doing?' She turned around quickly, hoping to disguise her delayed, less appropriate reaction.

'I, uh, took a bath down here. It's less crowded and I don't have to wait as long for bloody Sirius to finish his night-time routine. He has fucking moisturiser, did you know that? And Moony likes to spend a good hour in the bathroom. Wish I could say the same for Peter; he rarely enters it. ' He babbled, trying to cover up the awkward moment between them.

'Right.' She turned slowly, half covering her face with her hand. 'Do you think you could put some clothes on?'

It was James' turn to blush.

'Uh, yeah, right. Of course.' He strode over to the couch to pick up his robes, and retreated quickly into the bathroom. Lily took the time to calm herself. Really, it wasn't that surprising that he had a nice body. He was a bloody _Quidditch_ player, for god's sake. They _all _ have nice bodies. Well . . . it was just that James' was _really _nice. Just because she could acknowledge that, didn't mean she fancied him. She was just being objective.

_James._

When he re-emerged from the bathroom, Lily was sitting on the sofa, reading through her Transfiguration text book. There was an adorable line between her eyebrows as she frowned when she didn't understand something. He rarely saw that look - the only time she didn't understand something was generally in Transfiguration.

'Having trouble with the Transfiguration homework?' He asked, casually. He hoped that she hadn't noticed how long he had been absent. He'd had to have another shower once he returned to the bathroom - a cold one.

She looked up, a flicker of surprise dancing across her face. He felt embarrassed. Was it really so unusual that he was perceptive or helpful?

'Yeah, actually. I'm just going over the animagus process. I don't understand it.'

James grinned inwardly. If only she knew . . .

'Do you want help with it?' He asked, hopefully.

Her eyes widened, and she blinked a couple of times.

'Uh . . . why?' She scrunched her nose up and looked at him, confused.

James felt the heat crawling up his neck. Shit, he shouldn't have asked. Her bemused reaction was the worst kind of rejection.

'Well, uh, you know . . . I just understand it pretty well, and, you know, I'm alright at Transfiguration . . .' He stuttered. He just wanted her to say a sharp 'Get lost, Potter,' and tell him to leave. Then at least it would be over.

'You're a little bit more than alright.' She scoffed. 'I saw your last test paper.'

James allowed himself a small chuckle and scooted next to her on the sofa. She'd noticed. That meant she was vaguely interested in his life. He'd take that.

'Spying, were we?' He said, looking at her from under his mop of black hair, and giving her a crooked smile.

He felt himself harden a little when her cheeks filled with a rosy blush.

'N-no. Just interested. You didn't do as well as Alice.' She countered, defensively.

He let a goofy grin spread across his face, as he rubbed the back of his neck modestly.

'Look, Evans. D'you want some help, or not?' He asked, playfully. Teasingly almost.

She looked at him through narrowed eyes.

'Fine. Just don't let this inflate your head, Potter.' She gave him a wicked grin, and edged slightly closer. As their knees touched, James thought he felt a spark of electricity fly through his body.

- LATER

_Lily_

She was sitting in the Head's common room, next to James Potter. _Potter_. The complete and utter bane of her life.

But he was actually being - could it be - nice. And modest, even. And he could explain things well, with his deep, reassuring voice, warm presence and nice soapy smell. Although it was a little distracting.

She snapped out of her reverie, as he adjusted himself on the couch, moving his leg so it brushed her knee again, and placing his arm on the back of the sofa. _God_. He was so confident, so . . . un-awkward (like her).

But he was still an ass.

It was just hard to remember that when he was being so damn . . . _nice_.

It's been a week, she thought to herself. Give it another one, and he'll be back to being the same old arrogant, bullying toe rag.

But what if he didn't?

She looked up at him through her long lashes. When he tried not to smile at her teasing, he got adorable dimples in the corners of his mouth. She kind of wanted to kiss them.

Wait, WHAT? No she didn't. Oh my god, Lily Evans, you are being betrayed by your own hormones.

Traitors.

- LATER STILL

Two hours later they had migrated to the floor.

James lay, spread eagled across the rug in front of the fire, on his stomach, propped up on his elbows. Lily was flat on her back, legs on the seat of the sofa. It was an odd position, but it was comfortable. They had been going over this for more than two hours, and they were both exhausted.

'So . . . you're saying, the transformation comes after being able to physically identify with the animal . . . which occurs by combining all senses in the act of transformation with the spell . . . and then giving the body over the effects.'

'Yes!' James sat up, excitedly. 'You got it!' He grinned at her, elated. He felt so proud of her. That was his Lily. Smartest witch in the year.

Forgetting herself, she grinned back at him. Sticking her tongue out, she asked:

'How the hell do you know this all so well, Potter?'

James floundered for the correct response in this situation. He couldn't very well just transform into a bloody great stag in front of her. Not only would it totally freak her out - and break around fifty school rules - the Marauders would kill him.

'Uh . . . study hard?' He replied, tentatively.

She gave him a weird look.

'Well. I mean, I suck at charms. You're good at charms. And potions. More than good, actually. I guess people just have their strengths in different things.' He smiled nervously, and ran his hands through his hair. He knew she hated it, but it was a nervous habit by now.

He was caught by surprise when she reached and pulled his hand away from his hair. As their hands brushed, his heart jumped and his stomach dropped, like when he dropped suddenly in height during Quidditch.

He started at her, startled. Had Lily Evans just voluntarily touched him?

She blushed bright red, and began to stammer.

'Sorry . . . I just, you look . . . it's just annoying when you do that.' She stuttered out, regretting touching him, because she felt tingly all over again. Blasted hormones.

He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

'Sorry, it's a nervous habit.' He looked at her quickly, then back at the floor.

'Really? I thought it was because you thought your hair looked cool messed up.' Lily countered, actual curiosity mixed with the skeptical implication.

It was James' turn to blush.

'Yeah . . . it used to be. I mean, when I was little, Mum used to do everything to make it stay flat . . . then I just gave up, and liked it looking messy, I guess. My own miniature rebellion.' He grinned cheekily, knowing fully well his rebellion was anything but little. 'I made the most out of looking like a . . . ah, what did my mother call it? A scoundrel. That's it. And then when I realised not everyone likes a rebel.' Here he made brief eye contact with Lily and felt his insides contract again. 'I tried to stop. But by then it kind of . . . stuck.'

She looked at him for a long time, eyes slightly narrowed. This was the first time they had retained eye contact for an extended period of time, and it made him slightly nervous. When was the right time to look away? Should he look away? Goddamn it, why did his social skills go down the toilet when she was around?

'When I was little,' she began, pushing her own hair back from her face, 'everyone used to bite their nails. Like, everyone. And I wanted to fit in . . . I thought it was so cool. I guess I just wanted to be the same. But every time I bit my nails, they'd just grow back over night to the same length as before.'

James bit back a laugh. Thought of Lily actually caring what other's thought was kind of weird.

'And then, I eventually trained myself to not grow them back. But by then, biting your nails wasn't cool, and everyone had started wearing nail polish. Except . . . by then it was a habit and I couldn't stop.' She placed her hand in front of them. Sure enough, the nails were short and bitten.

'They were so short I couldn't even paint them. So all the girls had pink and purple nails and my nails just kind of . . . bled.' She grinned half-heartedly at him. 'And I could never teach myself to grow them back. Weird, huh?'

James looked at her. She was voluntarily offering a bit of herself up to him. She was nervous, he could tell. She was biting her lip, and her knee jumped up and down uncontrollably.

'I guess we're not so different, then.' He wanted so badly to reach out and hold her hand with it's poor, bleeding nails. But he didn't.

A strange look flickered over her face.

'Except,' she said, with a hint of disapproval, 'I don't hex Slytherins in the corridors.'

James let out a loud laugh.

'I haven't done that since half way through last year!' He grinned sheepishly. 'Admittedly it was because I wanted you to like me, but then I guess it's the better thing to do right? Not stoop to their level, I mean.'

Lily blinked. Hard.

'Did you just say you stopped hexing people so I'd _like_ you?' She stared at him incredulously.

Again, James blushed.

'Well . . . initially.'

Lily shook her head in disbelief.

'I can't believe you sometimes.'

'What?'

'Well, are you really so arrogant that you think I only refused to go out with you because you hexed Slytherins? Ever thought there might be a lot of things wrong?' She was a little mad. Okay, it was a little irrational, but she needed to be mad, or her ovaries would blow up.

James ran his hand through his hair again, making it stick up on end.

'Geez Lily, I was just tackling things one at a time. I know I'm not perfect - '

'You got that right.' Lily put in.

' - but,' James continued, 'the point is, I'm trying to change. I know my faults.'

'See, I don't think you do.' Lily stood up, a brief wave of anger crossing her. 'Are you honestly saying that you think that you did the wrong thing by hexing Slytherins?'

'I'm not saying they didn't deserve it.' James said, thoughtfully. 'Maybe I just realised there are better ways to deal with things.'

Lily looked at him, eyes narrowed.

Damn it, she couldn't find a flaw in his answer. Only one way to solve this.

'I'm going to bed.'

'Is that an invitation?'

'Goodnight, Potter.'

- NEXT DAY

'What do you mean, you've _already_ got plans for Saturday?' Lily asked Lou, outraged as only best friends can be.

Alice looked at Lou plaintively.

'This is my first Hogsmede visit without Frank! You _promised_ we'd all go together.'

Marly put an arm around Alice's shoulders.

'Moral support. You need to be there for moral support!' She hissed at Lou.

'Well I bloody can't, so you'll just have to get over it.' Lou tossed herself onto her four poster bed, picked up the latest copy of Witch Weekly, and began idly flicking through it.

'Who's the bloke?' Lily asked, indignantly.

'Bloke? Who says theres a bloke. I just have stuff to do.'

'Oh please,' scoffed Marly, 'yeah, we've got a lot of homework; but if Alice and Lily are forgoing one afternoon, I think you can. You barely even set foot in class anyway!'

'Which is exactly why I have to stay behind. Flitwick says I need to do this extra essay if I want to pass healing charms.'

'It's not an extra essay.' Lily said disapprovingly. 'It's the essay that was assigned to us two weeks ago.'

'Same thing.' Lou began to make bubbles come out the end of her wand. 'Long and short of it is, can't go. Sorry, Alice, but you'll just have to get through this one _sans moi_.'

'You're a bitch.' said Alice grumpily, reaching for her quill and parchment. It was five o clock, and Alice always wrote her daily letter to Frank at five o clock. Every goddamn day.

Not that she was pedantic or anything.

'Yeah, well.' Lou said, almost listlessly. This surprised Lily; Lou was hardly ever listless.

'Everything okay, Lou?' She asked, poking her friend lightly in the side.

'Everything's fine and dandy.' She turned over and pretended to read.


End file.
